Cost of Living Comparison Between La Serena and Iquique Cost of Living Comparison Between La Serena and Iquique

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,142 in La Serena versus $1,063 in Iquique.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,883 in La Serena versus $1,657 in Iquique.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,624 in La Serena versus $2,251 in Iquique.

Living in La Serena is roughly 7% more expensive than in Iquique, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: La Serena 17% lower, Iquique 23% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.26 CLP 7,687

$7.96 CLP 7,408

3.77%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$51.4 CLP 47.8K

$43.56 CLP 40.5K

18.07%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.45 CLP 7,858

$7.42 CLP 6,902

13.88%

Cappuccino

$3.03 CLP 2,818

$3.54 CLP 3,296

-14.41%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.11 CLP 1,029

$1.30 CLP 1,213

-14.62%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.72 CLP 671

$1.05 CLP 973

-31.43%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.17 CLP 2,015

$3.33 CLP 3,094

-34.83%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.02 CLP 3,743

$3.72 CLP 3,462

8.06%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.29 CLP 1,205

$1.17 CLP 1,091

10.26%

White Bread (500g)

$2.47 CLP 2,301

$1.22 CLP 1,134

102.46%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.55 CLP 1,439

$1.37 CLP 1,279

13.14%

Eggs

$3.85 CLP 3,585

$3.14 CLP 2,922

22.61%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.16 CLP 12.2K

$10.51 CLP 9,777

25.21%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.00 CLP 5,585

$10.80 CLP 10.0K

-44.44%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.05 CLP 12.1K

Apples (1kg)

$1.88 CLP 1,752

$2.42 CLP 2,251

-22.31%

Banana (1kg)

$1.77 CLP 1,648

$2.24 CLP 2,089

-20.98%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.39 CLP 1,296

$1.64 CLP 1,524

-15.24%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.52 CLP 1,412

$1.09 CLP 1,011

39.45%

Potato (1kg)

$1.18 CLP 1,098

$0.77 CLP 715

53.25%

Onion (1kg)

$1.24 CLP 1,158

$0.66 CLP 610

87.88%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.11 CLP 1,031

$1.10 CLP 1,024

0.91%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.89 CLP 825

$1.41 CLP 1,314

-36.88%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.40 CLP 5,023

$7.42 CLP 6,901

-27.22%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.20 CLP 4,834

$8.10 CLP 7,537

-35.80%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.00 CLP 935

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.13 CLP 1,980

$0.82 CLP 767

159.76%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.08 CLP 1,009

$0.73 CLP 680

47.95%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$38.04 CLP 35.4K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.72 CLP 670

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.18 CLP 2,028

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.08 CLP 12.2K

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.42 CLP 1,324

$1.46 CLP 1,362

-2.74%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$21.1K CLP 19.6M

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$12.7K CLP 11.8M

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$92.3 CLP 85.9K

$92.0 CLP 85.6K

0.38%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$11.39 CLP 10.6K

$15.79 CLP 14.7K

-27.87%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$22.39 CLP 20.8K

$24.70 CLP 23.0K

-9.35%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$90.4 CLP 84.1K

$53.1 CLP 49.4K

70.04%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.98 CLP 19.5K

Cinema Ticket

$8.52 CLP 7,923

$7.32 CLP 6,810

16.39%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$271 CLP 252.1K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$45.06 CLP 41.9K

$31.86 CLP 29.6K

41.43%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$63.5 CLP 59.1K

$24.23 CLP 22.5K

161.95%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$97.3 CLP 90.5K

$47.84 CLP 44.5K

103.37%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 CLP 100.2K

$60.9 CLP 56.7K

76.79%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$437 CLP 406.8K

$449 CLP 417.9K

-2.65%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$331 CLP 308.2K

$407 CLP 378.4K

-18.54%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$942 CLP 876.3K

$710 CLP 660.8K

32.61%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$736 CLP 685.2K

$801 CLP 745.4K

-8.08%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,159 CLP 2.0M

$1,787 CLP 1.7M

20.84%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,389 CLP 1.3M

$2,057 CLP 1.9M

-32.47%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$741 CLP 689.1K

$972 CLP 904.1K

-23.79%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.5

7.5

-13.33%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for La Serena: August 31, 2026

Last update for Iquique: August 29, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $437 in La Serena and $449 in Iquique. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Iquique pays 31% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $51.0 in La Serena vs $44.00 in Iquique for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $242 vs $208 per month, with Iquique cheaper across the board.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

La Serena vs Iquique: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

La Serena and Iquique differ by about 7% in total monthly costs ($1,142 vs $1,063 including rent). Iquique is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 31% lower in Iquique. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $437 in La Serena versus $449 in Iquique. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Iquique – a meal for two runs $44.00 versus $51.0 in La Serena. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $1,142 per month in La Serena versus $1,063 in Iquique – a 7% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,063 in Iquique versus $1,142 in La Serena, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Iquique but tight or insufficient in La Serena. The gap between the two cities makes Iquique the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Expats usually find Iquique gentler on the wallet – expenses run 7% less than in La Serena. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.